Padres claim rhp Fautino De Los Santos off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers

Club designates INF Jeudy Valdez for assignment

The San Diego Padres today announced that they have claimed right-handed pitcher Fautino De Los Santos off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers and have designated infielder Jeudy Valdez for assignment. Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes made the announcement.

De Los Santos, 26, split the majority of last season between Triple-A Sacramento in the Oakland Athletics organization and Triple-A Nashville in the Brewers organization, combining to go 2-3 with a 5.80 ERA (32 ER/49.2 IP) and 60 strikeouts against 20 walks in 39 relief appearances. The right-hander was acquired by the Brewers on July 29 this past season in exchange for catcher George Kottaras. After being acquired by Milwaukee he went 1-0 with a 1.98 ERA (3 ER/13.2 IP) and 17 strikeouts against just four walks in 11 outings for Nashville.

Originally signed by the Chicago White Sox as a non-drafted free agent in December of 2005, De Los Santos has gone 3-2 with a 4.21 ERA (17 ER/36.1 IP) and 46 strikeouts against 20 walks in 40 relief outings over parts of two Major League seasons (2011-12), both with Oakland. Across parts of seven minor league seasons in the White Sox (2006-07), Athletics (2008-12) and Brewers (2012) organizations, he has gone 19-19 with a 3.59 ERA (132 ER/331.1 IP) and 425 strikeouts against 123 walks in 147 games, 41 starts.

Valdez, 23, spent the entire 2012 campaign with Double-A San Antonio, hitting .225 (104-for-462) in 128 games for the Missions. The infielder was originally signed by the Padres as a non-drafted free agent in November of 2005. Over parts of seven minor league seasons (2006-12), all with the Padres organization, he has hit .252 (584-for-2318) with 133 doubles, 24 triples, 46 home runs, 292 RBI, 354 runs scored and 121 stolen bases in 596 games played.